Meet Jon McGraw

CanvasRebel • Oct 03, 2022

Thank you, CanvasRebel for featuring this insightful interview on your website! The interview below was conducted by CanvasRebel and shared on their website - https://canvasrebel.com/meet-jon-mcgraw/

Alright, Jon thanks for taking the time to share your stories and insights with us today. When you were first starting out, did you join a firm or start your own?

20 years ago I started my own firm – with a leap of faith and a handful of friends as clients. At age 28 I had been working in the corporate world for about 5 years when I was transferred from Boulder, Colorado to Kansas City, Missouri to oversee and expand our presence in the Midwest. For the next 5 years I dedicated my life to building what became one of the highest producing regions in the county – second only to our corporate headquarters in NY. Then the firm was acquired by a big bank. I knew my desire to have a positive impact on every client would be crushed by ‘big corporate’ so I walked away from a fat salary to start Buttonwood Financial Group, LLC.

Before the bank acquisition, with several offices in my multi-state region, we serviced more than 25,000 accounts for investors. I had a group of employees who provided outstanding service to our clients. However, if a client had a complex problem, the issue was elevated to me. I quickly learned most of the problems were a result of simply failing to properly plan! Perfect examples include the multi-millionaire father who didn’t have the time to update his estate documents. This led to a nightmare for his kids. He was busy running his company when he had the heart attack. The legal battle following the auto accident that killed a pedestrian; and broke a family. An umbrella insurance policy is cheap, and hopefully never needed.

Was it possible to develop my own firm that could benefit individuals and families by solving these problems? Could we reinvent the financial advisor? Could we follow the same process a CFO might follow when they are invited to join a company? The vision for Buttonwood was formed around the ability to step into a clients life with a high level review through the unique perspective of what they are trying to accomplish. We would look for distinct opportunities based upon their assets and liabilities as well as their income and expenses. What could they be doing but weren’t? What risks were they facing but hadn’t even considered. Working with clients we would prioritize these items, implement strategy, and put in place a process to review and revise as clients transitioned through different stages of life.

I provided this overview to a handful of people I knew, and Buttonwood Financial Group launched in January 2002.

Jon, love having you share your insights with us. Before we ask you more questions, maybe you can take a moment to introduce yourself to our readers who might have missed our earlier conversations?

I have been in this industry for 30 years and I’m still surprised there are so few firms that elect to do what we do – it is so rewarding! I understand the process is complex: It takes a great deal of time and effort to stay on top of trends in tax, insurance, estate, business and the investment markets. Add in meeting with clients and managing a growing company, the workweek can easily stretch across a full 7 days. Without passion and culture at the center, I could have never done it. I’ve always appreciated the saying, “Luck is what happens when preparation meets opportunity”. In 2005 we acquired an amazing historic 1860’s building for our offices. As I was shopping for art in the building, a friend and artist, convinced me we should establish a rotating art gallery rather than purchasing static pieces. Buttonwood Art Space, a community-focused gallery was born. Today we host multiple themed exhibits annually. The theme for each exhibit is based around the mission of a local non-profit. Over our history, sponsorships, and art sale proceeds of more than $750,000, have helped support nonprofits and artists. The business plan for Art Space came from the passion of Financial Group – and we share it openly and regularly with others who want to make the world a better place through the arts.

2022 marks the 20th anniversary for Buttonwood Financial Group. Each year we continue to support our world by committing a percentage of revenue to the non-profit Buttonwood Foundation. Looking back, I can’t imagine any other path as fulfilling. It hasn’t been easy, and the world of business is unforgiving – you either get it right or you’re gone. With the growth we have experienced, the challenges today continue to be larger and the outcome more impactful. However, with the advantage of hindsight, dedicating my time to the things I’m passionate about has led to an amazing life – not only for me, but for our employees, our clients, local artists and our non-profit community.

Have any books or other resources had a big impact on you?

I have been involved with many small business startups. When the phone rings, I often recommend someone starting a business read Gerbers, E-Myth Revisited. While the book dates from the 90’s, the evergreen perspective he shares in “Part I”; the need for a successful small business leader to have 3 interchangeable personalities, is vital for anyone starting a business to understand.

What do you think helped you build your reputation within your market?

As CEO, one of my primary jobs is to make sure we protect our brand. I believe if we live it, we will protect it. Today, our dedicated Team, serves as a strategic CFO to more than 400 individuals and multigenerational families across this great country and overseas. Each member of our Team was asked a common interview question: What is it you are passionate about when you wake up in the morning? If the answer doesn’t have to do with making the world a better place, helping, assisting or giving back, Buttonwood isn’t the place for them. Our reputation has been built by doing the right thing and thinking of others best interests first. The culture at Buttonwood is based around the desire to set the other person up for success, whether that be a coworker, a client, partner or vendor.

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